Microsoft Sending Pop-Up Notifications to Windows XP Users
Seriously, it's time to upgrade from that Windows XP machine.
On Monday, Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc updated the Windows blog with news that on March 8, 2014, Windows XP customers using the Home or Professional editions will receive an official notification on their desktop screen via Windows Update. This popup will inform them that support for Windows XP will end on April 8, 2014, and will only alert Windows XP customers who have elected to receive updates via Windows Update.
"The notification will include a link to our Windows XP End of Support website where Windows XP users can find all the information they need on the end of support for Windows XP and what it means and how they can stay protected against security risks and viruses after April 8th," LeBlanc writes. "The notification will reoccur on the 8th of every month unless disabled by the user."
Don't know what version Windows you're running? You're in luck, as Microsoft has also launched AmIRunningXP.com. Immediately, visitors will see if they're running Windows XP or not. If so, the website provides guidance on how to upgrade ahead of the April 8th end of support deadline. There's also now a free tool that will help Windows XP users "move out" of the dying operating system.
According to LeBlanc, the company has partnered with Laplink to create PCmover Express for Windows XP, a free data migration tool. This software will copy files and settings from a Windows XP PC to a new device running Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1.
"This tool will copy your files, music, videos, email and user profiles and settings from your old PC to your new device, transferring across your home or work network, and even enables Windows XP users to customize exactly what they want to bring over to their new device," LeBlanc writes.
PCmover Express will be made available in English later this week at WindowsXP.com. Versions in French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish are coming later in March, followed by versions in Korean, Chinese, Russian and Brazilian Portuguese. Can't wait that long? Users can access Laplink's tool in other languages as well via Microsoft's Download Center.
LeBlanc also points to a tool for transferring applications from their old computer called PCmover Professional. This version of Laplink's migration tool costs $59.95 USD.
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Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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I would guess the forums are about to get flooded by "help me upgrade my XP" threads then! The bad thing is that there is quite a bit of old hardware out there with no drivers for anything newer than XP.Reply
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loltrol Yea, yea, but I'm not sure if I'm running XP... thanks microsoft for your website, you just have proven that your biggest userbase is the dumbest of all OSs to date.Reply -
11796pcs ReplyYea, yea, but I'm not sure if I'm running XP... thanks microsoft for your website, you just have proven that your biggest userbase is the dumbest of all OSs to date.
The number of people who don't know what operating system they're running is astounding. I think the majority of Android owners know if they're running Android but 95%+ of iOS owners probably couldn't tell you they're running iOS. -
jerm1027 Reply
But how many Android users could tell you which version of the operating system they are running? Gingerbread? ICS? Jellybean? KitKat? Most of the users I know who don't root their phones honestly don't know which version they're running. I'd imagine the case is similar for Windows XP - All they know, and all they think they need to know, is that they're running Windows; the version is irrelevant to them as long as they perceive their system to work.Yea, yea, but I'm not sure if I'm running XP... thanks microsoft for your website, you just have proven that your biggest userbase is the dumbest of all OSs to date.
The number of people who don't know what operating system they're running is astounding. I think the majority of Android owners know if they're running Android but 95%+ of iOS owners probably couldn't tell you they're running iOS. -
brandonjclark M$ should just get it over with and send a brick update. Eff em all! Mua-HaHaHa!Reply -
Duckhunt It would be great if Ms told them that they need to migrate to Linux ha ha. They support most of the older hardware.Reply -
rantoc So their chooice is win7 who is also starting to go down the age chain or thr messed up windows 8... MS gives them a choice of short life or live longer with gonoreha. How nice!Reply -
Peter Rafeiner I bet most of those XP machines are not or only marginally capable to run Win 7 or 8 from a hardware point of view. So 'upgrading' means getting a new PC too. Someone tell that to M$ !Reply